Your office may be the place where good ideas come to fruition and productivity soars, but it can also be a place that triggers back pain, neck strain, and carpal tunnel. Imagine the amount of strain that is placed on your body while simultaneously sitting in a chair, hunching over a keyboard, and balancing a phone between your shoulder and ear. And full-time workers do that for over 2,000 hours each year! Consider these tips to help pain-proof your office or workstation.

1.
Choose the right chair – Finding the
right chair is as important as finding a good quality mattress. Remember –
2,000 hours a year… that’s a lot of sitting. Make sure you’re comfortable. You
don’t want anything that lacks support for your lower back and make sure you can
adjust the seat height. Your feet should always rest flat on the floor so your
knees are level with your hips.

You
could always skip the quest to find the perfect chair and opt for a standing
desk instead; which has been shown to combat many of the scary consequences associated
with prolonged sitting.

2. Think ergonomically when setting up your
workstation – Computer monitors should be
visible without having to lean in or strain. The top line of type should be at
or 15 degrees below eye level. This helps you
maintain proper posture and prevent neck strain from looking down. Also, use audio equipment that keeps you from bending your neck
(i.e., Bluetooth, speakerphones, headsets).

Keep
carpal tunnel symptoms at bay by making sure your wrists are not forced to bend
to use the keyboard. Your forearms and wrists should not be leaning on a hard
edge.

3. Take breaks – Taking a 10-second break
every 20 minutes will be very beneficial. Standing, walking, ormoving your head in a “plus sign” fashion are a few ideas. And
don’t be afraid to stretch.One exercise
we often recommend is called the “Bruegger Relief Stretch”. Click
here to learn how it’s done.

Preventative
care is the best solution for workstation injuries. Small adjustments to your
workstation and posture will make a noticeable difference in how your body feels
at the end of a long workweek.

You may have heard by now, “sitting is the new smoking”. Studies show that sitting for prolonged periods may contribute to many health conditions, regardless if you exercise every day or not. If you’re resolving to improve your health in 2019, strive to sit less and move more. Here are 16 ways to help you achieve that goal.

Purchase a
standing desk. If your occupation
requires long hours of desk time, this may be a sound investment.

Drink more
water. You’ll stay hydrated and also
be forced to get off your seat for more frequent trips to the restroom.

Take regular
breaks from sitting. Aim to get
up and walk or stretch every 30 minutes.

Stand while
watching T.V. You could wash the
dishes or stand and fold laundry while your favorite show is on.

Consider
walking or riding a bike to work,
school, or the store.

Get a step
counter. It will help you track
how many steps you’ve taken and may encourage you to move more.

Use an alarm. Be deliberate about setting up smartphone reminders
to get up and be active.

Pace while
talking on the phone.

Offer up your
seat to someone who really needs it. Opt to stand any chance you can.

Plan for
regular breaks on long car trips.
Even a few minutes for a quick stroll around the car will help.

Visit your
co-workers. Instead of emailing
or calling, get up to visit co-workers at their office.

Schedule
standing meetings. If there’s no
need for a conference table, host a meeting without chairs.

Get active
with your kids. Physical
activities such as walking the dog and playing tag outside are great ways to
connect with your children without sitting.

Walk up and
down the field while your child is playing. Instead of sitting in the bleachers to watch your
kids sporting events, walk and watch at the same time.

Cook your
meals at home. You’ll get more activity
by cooking, rather than picking up something to-go or dining in a restaurant.

Map out a
plan each day. Before you head to
work, list the ways you plan to cut back on your sitting time each day. This
may change from day to day depending on what your schedule looks like, but if
you have a plan in place, you’re more likely to follow it.

We
hope you’ll be able to use at least a few of our tips to help combat excessive
sitting in 2019. We wish you a healthy and happy new year!

The holiday season is here, which means our daily routines will be disrupted by festive get-togethers, cookies, pies, traveling, and shopping. It can be stressful just thinking about it, but we have some tips to help you stay on top of your healthy habits throughout the season – without feeling overwhelmed.

Practice Healthy
Nutrition

Drink plenty of water, especially if you’ll be
consuming alcoholic beverages at a holiday party. Water will help you avoid
dehydration and as a bonus, may also help fill you up so don’t overindulge.

Use a smaller plate to help you maintain healthy
portion sizes.

Don’t force yourself to eat everything. Choose only
the things you most enjoy.

Take the focus off of food. At your next family gathering,
prepare a game or activity that doesn’t involve overindulging in food or
alcohol.

Keep Moving

Don’t neglect your workouts. Make them a
priority – even more so during this busy season.

If you’re traveling during the holidays, be aware
of how much you’re sitting. Excessive sitting is detrimental to your health in
many ways. Try to get up and move around at least once every hour, whether
you’re traveling by car or plane.

Relax

Make sure to strive for the recommended amount
of sleep, which is 7-8 hours each night for adults.

De-stress using a healthy method that works for
you – whether that be meditation, exercise, or a warm bath and a book. You’ll
enjoy this busy season much more when you have a clear mind.

Lastly, listen to your body. Stress, whether it
be mental or physical, will take a toll on your health. If you need a pre or
post-holiday tune-up, we’re always here to help.

It’s that time of year again. Those colorful leaves falling from the trees will soon leave you with a big mess on the lawn and a new chore to add to your to-do list. Before grabbing the rake, take these tips into consideration to avoid the soreness and injury that commonly accompany leaf raking.

1. Stretch

It may
not seem like a workout, but leaf raking can be a very strenuous activity,
especially if you’re not regularly active already. Be sure to do a quick
warm-up to get your muscles ready and stretch to limit soreness in your neck,
shoulders, and back.

2. Use the Right
Equipment

Make
sure you’re using a rake that’s the correct size for your height. A rake that’s
too small will cause you to bend over more often and put more stress on your
back. Wear gloves to protect your palms.

3. Use Correct
Posture

Keep
your back straight and upright. You’ll want to bend at the knees – not the
waist – when picking up your piles and always avoid twisting your torso.

Remember
to give yourself a little recovery time now and then and stay hydrated. Taking
frequent breaks will help you avoid exhaustion and strain.

As with
any form of physical activity, listen to your body. Any sudden, sharp, or persistent
pain is not normal. Stay safe
by following these tips and be sure to give our office a call if you experience
any neck, shoulder, or back pain this fall.

Chronic pain is frustrating.
Back pain and neck pain can pop up as the result of an injury or from an
existing condition, but a lot of times our daily activities are to blame. Here
are six common everyday activities that you may not realize could be causing
your pain.

1. Driving – Driving for long periods of time is sure to generate
some stress on your lower back, especially if you’re not using correct posture.
If you have a long commute to and from work or you are required to drive for extended
periods, consider purchasing a lumbar pillow to place behind your back for
added support. And always sit up straight with your back completely against the
seat.

2.
Sleeping – Another culprit
of back and neck pain is your sleep position. If you’re waking up with a sore
back or neck, consider altering your sleep posture. Stomach sleepers tend to
have the most complaints because that position places stress on your spine – especially your neck, since you must turn
your head to breathe. We encourage you to sleep on your back with a pillow
under your knees, or on your side with a pillow between your knees.

3. Sitting at a desk all day – Studies have proven that sitting for prolonged periods
of time is detrimental to our health. Combat your sedentary day by moving more.
Take small walking breaks every 30 minutes and use proper posture at your workstation.You
may also want to consider using a standing desk.

4. Using your phone or tablet – Repeatedly looking down at devices throughout the day
puts excessive stress on your neck, causing a condition we refer to as “Text
Neck”. Limit time on your devices and when you must use your phone or tablet,
hold the screen at eye level to prevent hunching over.

5. Carrying heavy bags – Whether you tote around a backpack throughout the day
or have a heavy purse, your neck and spine can be at risk from the excessive
weight. For backpacks, we recommend using both straps and keeping the pack as
close to your body as possible. You could also opt for a rolling bag to help
save your back. For purses, only bring with you what you’ll need for that day,
and be sure to switch arms often.

6. Doing chores – Putting clothes in the washer and dryer, loading and
unloading the dishwasher, vacuuming, and all life’s other necessities are
possible precursors to back pain from repeated bending and twisting. The key to
preventing pain is always to be aware of your posture and work on correcting it
whether you’re standing, squatting,
bending over, or carrying heavy loads. One trick is to imagine that you have a
fluorescent light tube strapped over your spine, from your head to hips. Try
not to break the bulb when you move.

If you’re one of the 90% of
people that end up experiencing back pain at some point in your life, contact
us to help you pinpoint the exact cause and develop a treatment plan that helps
you recover quickly.